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Mark Craig tracks seven NFL turnarounds

By Mark Craig

November 1, 2020 at 6:25AM

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. (Ken Chia — AP/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Seven teams that didn't make the playoffs in 2019 have fewer than three losses this year and currently sit in the top seven in their respective conferences. The top seven in each conference will make the playoffs.

Steelers: 6-0 in 2020 after starting 2-4 in 2019

Browns: 5-2 in 2020 after starting 2-5 in 2019

Buccaneers: 5-2 in 2020 after starting 2-5 in 2019

Bears: 5-2 in 2020 after starting 3-4 in 2019

Cardinals: 5-2 in 2020 after starting 3-3-1 in 2019

Rams: 5-2 in 2020 after starting 4-3 in 2019

Colts: 4-2 in 2020 after starting 4-2 in 2019

• With a league-high 19 victories, the NFC West is the only division that has all four teams sporting a winning record. It also has a shot at becoming the first division to send all four of its teams to the playoffs.

• Per the new 14-team playoff format, there are now three wild-card spots among the seven berths in each conference. Heading into Week 8, the NFC West has teams at second (Seattle), sixth (Arizona), seventh (Rams) and ninth (San Francisco) in the NFC.

• At 4-3, the 49ers are only a game behind the current Nos. 5-7 seeds — Bears, Cardinals and Rams — all 5-2. If the offensively dysfunctional Bears slide, the resurgent 49ers could very well sneak into the top seven.

about the writer

Mark Craig

Sports reporter

Mark Craig has covered the NFL nearly every year since Brett Favre was a rookie back in 1991. A sports writer since 1987, he is covering his 30th NFL season out of 37 years with the Canton (Ohio) Repository (1987-99) and the Star Tribune (1999-present).